Blackstone's Police Manuals

Client

Oxford University Press is the world's largest university press. It publishes more than 4,500 new books a year, has a presence in over fifty countries, and employs some 4,800 people worldwide. From movable type to stereotype to CD-ROM to online delivery, publishing is constantly changing to respond to new technology. The rapid development of e-commerce and the internet is radically changing the way that Oxford University Press uses and presents information, and how it relates to its customers. Oxford University Press has always been quick to exploit new technology where it will really add value to its publishing for the reader.

Challenge

OUP's Law division wanted to create an online version of the Blackstone's Police Manuals - the leading police reference texts in the UK. In addition to being the only official study guides for the police promotion examinations in England and Wales, and a recognised text for police probationers, the Manuals have quickly established themselves as the definitive reference source for all who are involved in police law and procedure.

Speed to market was a particular requirement for this project, as OUP needed to launch the online version to coincide with the annual publication of the printed edition.

Solution

OUP selected Semantico's Information Publishing Platform (SIPP) to deliver both the Manuals and the interactive Questions & Answers.

The Blackstone's Police Q&A's Online service offers the following unique features:

  • Over 1,350 individually written questions - each of the same format and difficulty as the actual exam, making them the perfect way to practice exam technique.
  • New questions are added monthly, and the questions are completely revised annually alongside the Blackstone's Police Manuals.
  • Range of study options - users can choose the number of questions they want to practice - from 10 questions, to a whole mock exam, and select questions from a single subject area, or a mixture of all four.
  • Answers are all clearly explained - to highlight any gaps or weaknesses in users' knowledge.
  • Answers are fully cross-referenced to the Blackstone's Police Manuals so users can easily go back and revise the relevant subject area.
  • Detailed feedback on performance and a full user history - users can learn where their areas of strength and weakness lie, and channel their revision into the most relevant areas of the syllabus.

Together with the online Manuals, this service offers an integrated study solution - providing direct links from the detailed answers in Blackstone's Police Q&A's Online to the relevant section of the Blackstone's Police Manuals Online - creating a comprehensive learning package for supporting continuing professional development in the UK police force.

Subscription management to BPMO is provided by OUP's deployment of the Semantico Access Management System (SAMS). Semantico also integrated an additional e-commerce component to manage sales through BT Click & Buy. OUP have taken full advantage of the web services interface that the SAMS Server provides by integrating SAMS with their front and back-end office systems including:

  • The SAP fulfilment and financial systems via BizTalk, an industry standard middleware solution.
  • The e-commerce website which communicates directly with SAMS and their accounts package.

Results

  • BPMO was launched on-time in August 2005, in less than three months from the initiation of the project.
  • BPMO is endorsed by CENTREX, the UK Central Police Training & Development Authority for studying for Part I of the Objective Structured Performance-Related Examination (OSPREA®), which was introduced nationally as the primary means through which police officers in England and Wales are selected for promotion to the ranks of Sergeant and Inspector.

www.blackstonespolice.com